San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-04-21
MARCOS
The Drouth District Again.

lWe clip some passages from the lette
Of Maj. Barbee, of Erath county, referret
TO in our Inst. We trust the later rains, o
which mention has been made In the news
papers, may have relieved the darkness o
the picture --Ep. FREE PRKss.
When wrote last our crops were looking
very promising and our people hopeful ant
cheerful. Now that our young corn, gar
dens etc., have been cut down by the fros
night or to since, and our wheat and oat'
dying for want of rain and from the seem
ingly blighting wind, that from some quar.
ter has been blowing constantly for the last
month"; our citizens are becoming dscourag
cd, gloomy and to o certain degree demoral
lied. All who can are leaving. Ten oi
twelve families from this place, and neal
vicinity, are trying to sell what they have
for anything they can get to leave here fol
California and Oregon, and will get of
within ten days.
Your readers can form an idea of our
prospects for another crop when tell them
know of a farmer, six miles from Duffau,
who owns nice little farm Of 60 or sc
acres of rs good land as is to be found in
Hays county, under good fence, has good
house etc., etc, and lie sold the whole
thing, crop ani all for wagon and two
ponies. And last week another party Of
fered good wagon, two good horses, a
new $40 sewing machine. two bedsteadt
and Is bushels of corn for $l0l, and last /
heard from him he was still trying to find a
man with the hundred dollars. I only
mention these two instances out of the many
sacrifices that are being made rather than
risk another drouth that now seems newt
able.
Your county and Caldwell, through the
Alliance brethren, have made the only per.
sonal contributions Erath has received, aud
those in the up portion of the county,
whose condition is still worse than this and
among whom the donation was distributed,
assure you are truly grateful to the noble
hearted brethren who did not turn a deaf
ear to the cry of distress. They have an.
swered the call, Bro. Julian, as true men of
our noble organization.
The State appropriation has been timely
In aiding the most destitute among us, IN
giving them bread for presenC wants. but
the sum is so small it will be of no aid al
all in raising crop, as from two to three
dollars worth of -four and meal to each ap-
plicant will consume the 100000. The
conditions of the oath to be taken by pnr.
ties in need are such that hundreds of good
and worthy people among us are debnrred
receiving any aid. Two of my nearest
neighbors, both having large and helpless
families, are shut out from drawing and
and both truly needy. One has yearliug
colt more than the specifications require,
and the other one more COW. The latter Is
q renter and bas family and owns horses
when he pays for them next fall. Whilst
there may be some who will get snck OF
-four and few bushels of meal fraudulent.
ly. there'are many deserving families all
over the county who can got nothing at all
such instances as the two call attention
to.
Up to this time have been hopeful and
not suffered myself to become discouraged,
but from the present prospects must con-
fess my greatest fears are being aroused.
for neither the prayers of our people, their
fastings, nor even the clouds when the wind
is in the right direction, bring us drop of
rain, and the continuance of this state Of
affairs ten days longer will make us DOOM
ed people.